When Yang Ruoqing delivered the dumplings to her aunt Guihua's house, she happened to catch them all having dinner in the kitchen.

A small oil lamp flickered on the stove, beside which sat two earthenware bowls. At the bottom of each bowl lay a small amount of vegetables.

dark and indistinct.

This is a test.

“Aunt Gui Hua, are you having dinner? Just in time, I brought dumplings for you!”

"Well, dumplings? Now that's a rare treat!"

Guihua hurriedly put down her chopsticks and bowl, taking the dumplings Yang Ruqing offered.

The dumplings were white and fragrant, each one so cute. All of Guihua's children gathered around, drooling with hunger.

"These dumplings are so well-made, and they smell delicious. Qing'er, you've sent us so many, is there enough left at your home?" Guihua asked.

"Eat first, Auntie. I still have two bowls to deliver to Big Yun Auntie and Lao Tie's family." Yang Ruqing said.

"Alright then, it's dark and the roads are slippery. Let your Uncle Chang-Geng give you a ride?"

>

Guihua asked, and Chang Geng immediately put down his bowl and stood up from squatting by the hearth and scooping up vegetable porridge.

Yang Ruqing smiled and shook her head: "No need, the roads in the village are easy to navigate even with your eyes closed."

Yang Ruohong also sent dumplings to Dayun's house, and the whole family had eaten dinner, washed their feet and climbed onto the bed.

Yang Ruqing didn't go into the house, she just gave the dumplings to Dayun in the yard.

“These days I've been busy with the autumn harvest and planting rapeseed and wheat, so I haven't had time to make dumplings. Your younger siblings have all been clamoring for a tooth sacrifice! Now that this is done, tomorrow morning when they wake up and see these dumplings, I don't know how happy they'll be!” Dayun grabbed Yang Ruohua’s hand and said with a smile.

To give a rose to someone, one's hand remains fragrant.

Hearing what Big Aunt Yun said, Yang Ruoqing was also very happy.

“There aren't many dumplings, so I can only let my younger siblings have a taste. Auntie, I’ll be going now!”

“Okay, be careful on your way. I’ll wash the bowl and bring it over tomorrow.” Dayun escorted Yang Ruqing to the courtyard gate.

"It's fine, aunt. You should go back inside," Yang Ruqing waved at Dayun from afar, her figure disappearing into the night.

"This daughter-in-law is truly capable, Shujing is a fortunate woman!" Dayun muttered to herself, then turned and returned to the courtyard.

The last bowl was sent to Tang Ya Zi.

Changping Village is very large. From one end of the village to the other, it takes three bowls of tea's time.

Old Yang's house was at the north end of the village, while Luo the blacksmith's house was under the old maple tree at the south end.

>

Yang Ruqing walked all the way, and basically everyone in the yards on both sides had gone to bed, it was dark.

These adobe houses and courtyard walls really don't have good sound insulation. Let me know if you'd like to translate anything else!

And from some houses, one could still hear the sounds of women shouting from their beds.

"Hǎnkàng", is the local dialect, translated into modern words, is "to call".

Yang Ruqing hurried on her way, but she pursed her lips and snickered to herself.

This ancient village in the countryside, its spiritual life was impoverished, and recreational activities were pitifully few.

As soon as it got dark, the lights went out, and men and women burrowed into their blankets. They wouldn't just lie there doing nothing, would they? What else could they do on a long night but get intimate?

After much hurrying and scurrying, I finally saw the old maple tree at the south end of the village.

Under a maple tree, there was a small farmhouse with three thatched-roof huts and a fence surrounding the courtyard. This was the home of Lao Tiejiang, the blacksmith.

In three low, dark huts, huddled together by the side of one even lower thatched hut, a faint light still flickered.

Yang Ruqing walked over and patted the fence gate.

A tall figure walked out of the shack, its windows glowing with firelight. Yang Ruqing recognized it instantly: it was Luofengtang.

"Who is it?" he stood at the door of the shack, asking towards the fence gate.

"Little Tang, I'm Fatty from Lao Yang's family."

Baby?

Luo Fengtang was stunned.

He thought he had misheard. He raised his hand and patted his cheeks, which were a little hot.

“Tang Ya Zi, what are you doing? Open the door quickly, my mother sent me over to bring some things to your place.”

Across a fence gate, Yang Ruqing clearly saw Tang Ya zi standing stiffly at the door of that little house. He didn't come to open the door, but stood there and slapped his own face.

This kid, how is he like a goose with its head stuck in the mud?

Yang Ruqing was just pondering when someone over there finally moved.

Luo Fengtang sprang to the back of the door with one leap and creaked open the fence gate.

>

The moon hung from the treetops, its bright light shining down. He could see clearly that a girl with a basket in her arms was standing at the door. It really was Panya!

“Phat, Phatya, how did you come here?”

Luo Fengtang lowered his eyes to look at the girl standing before him, significantly shorter than himself. He felt inexplicably flustered and out of sorts.

“My mother made dumplings and asked me to bring a bowl over for you all to try. Where is Lao Da? Is he lying down?” Yang Ruoqing asked with a smile.

"Well, after taking the medicine, I just lay down."

Luo Fengtang mumbled, thinking to himself. The tall figure shifted sideways, making way for Yang Ruoqing.

Come in and sit down!

"Uncle Luo is lying down, I won't go in and bother him. Tang Ya Zi, you find a bowl, I'll pour dumplings for you. I still have to go home." Yang Ruqing said.

“Oh, the bowl, the bowl is…”

Yang Ruqing saw Luofeng Tang daydreaming again, and smiled helplessly, "Where's your kitchen?"

>

“That…” He raised a finger towards the cottage that was still ablaze.

Yang Ruoheng strode forward and walked straight to the blacksmith's workshop.

This kid is so slow and clueless. He takes forever to answer a simple question, like he's lost in space! She might as well just do it herself!

Entering Lao Luo's kitchen, one was immediately taken aback by the sight before them.

This text is empty. Let me know if you'd like to translate something else!

Beside the mottled wall, built a stove, a single pot, and a chimney leaning precariously as if about to collapse at any moment.

The walls inside the stove, blackened by smoke and fire, were coated in yellow mud.

The big pot outside was piled high with dirty dishes from the meal, half submerged in water. Rice grains, wild vegetables, and medicinal dregs were scattered all over the stovetop!

>

A sour and pungent odor, mixed with the bitterness of medicine, permeated every corner, stinging and unbearable.

Luckily, now that the weather is turning colder and winter is approaching, if this were in the summer, I'm afraid all the flies and mosquitos in a whole village would come here!

And that's not all, the floor hasn't been swept in probably ten days or half a month.

There were still piles of rabbit snares, wild boar traps, and scattered bamboo, wire, axes, and other hunting implements.

Can't put a foot down!

In the corner, a bamboo stalk had just been split open. A hatchet lay beside it, indicating that a fire had recently been lit. It seems that Tang Ya Zi was here sharpening arrows!

“Fatty, wait a moment, I’ll get you a bowl.”

Luo Fengtang followed in, said a word, and then darted to the side cabinet, pulling it open with force.

Dust mingled with the smell of mildew, assaulting Luo Fengtang's nostrils and causing him to cough several times.

“Tang Ya Zi, are you alright?” Yang Ruqing turned her head and asked.

Luo Fengtang flushed red and waved his hand: "The cupboard hasn't been opened for a long time, there are probably no bowls. There are pots though!"

He turned around and came to the stove. Seeing the bowls and chopsticks in the pot, he was also dumbfounded.

Yang Ruqing secretly shook her head. A household without a woman to manage it, life was truly a mess!

This is an example of a paragraph.

"Táng yázi, bēng zhǎo wǎn le, nǐ bǎ jiǎozi shōu hǎo, míng gè zǎoshang rè rè zài chī."

Yang Ruqing said, looking at the only pot, it was so dirty? How could you heat it up?

Luofeng Tang was so embarrassed that she couldn't bear it. She lowered her head and stood by the stove, wishing she could find a crack in the ground to hide in.

(Dearest, Happy New Year to you! Wishing everything goes smoothly and well in the new year! There will be New Year's Day benefits coming soon.)